Thousands at new Yellow Vest protests across France

PARIS, (Patria) - Thousands across Paris and other French cities gathered for the tenth consecutive Saturday despite the national debate launched by French President Emmanuel Macron.

In Paris, today's protests began with a march from the Invalides monument where Napoleon's tomb is located, in memory of 10 people killed in traffic accidents linked to the protests that began on November 17.

At the Invalides monument, demonstrators carried a banner at the front of the procession reading „citizens in danger“ and held black coffin-shaped plaques in memory of the dead. Demonstrators criticized the police for using rubber bullets that injured dozens of people.

Authorities announced that today they would deploy around 80,000 police officers and gendarmes across France, of which 5,000 will be in Paris.

Demonstrators marched peacefully through Paris. Twelve people were arrested since early morning according to Paris police data.

The capital and numerous cities in France have been experiencing weekly protests for months, which sometimes escalate into violence.

The number of demonstrators coming out today will be a test of the effectiveness of the major national debate launched by Macron to halt the social crisis, the worst since his election in 2017, French media report, citing Beta.

A police source told France Press that at least as many people are expected as came out last Saturday, January 12, i.e., over 80,000 people. The Saturday before that, 50,000 people came out to the protests.